Bifunctional Hybrid Catalysts with Perovskite LaCo0.8Fe0.2O3 Nanowires and Reduced Graphene Oxide Sheets for an Efficient Li-O2 Battery Cathode.

Abstract

In this paper, bifunctional catalysts consisting of perovskite LaCo0.8Fe0.2O3 nanowires (LCFO NWs) with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets were prepared for use in lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) battery cathodes. The prepared LCFO@rGO composite was explored as a cathode catalyst for Li-O2 batteries, resulting in an outstanding discharge capacity (ca. 7088.2 mAh g-1) at the first cycle. Moreover, a high stability of the O2-cathode with the LCFO@rGO catalyst was achieved over 56 cycles under the capacity limit of 500 mAh g-1 with a rate of 200 mA g-1, as compared to the Ketjenblack carbon and LCFO NWs. The enhanced electrochemical performance suggests that these hybrid composites of perovskite LCFO NWs with rGO nanosheets could be a perspective bifunctional catalyst for the cathode oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions in the development of next-generation Li-O2 battery cathodes.